during long interrogations the office is accused of aiding the tamil tigers a separatist group who fought a twenty six year civil war against the sri lankan government. how is from the singhalese majority but the trade union publication he worked for promotion the rights of the tamil minority. was there a point where you thought you were going to die that i don't want to do that then again i had no hope of living at that point be belted me so much. now says he was taken to police headquarters where he says he faced more torture to force him into making a confession. but after seven years in custody niihau was eventually released because there wasn't enough evidence to charge him under sure lanka's terrorism laws hundreds of others have also been held in detention for years without charge or access to a lawyer. with these laws the government is able to use military personnel to get rid of threats and kidnap people and they can get rid of any trip which opposes the government. survival stories like the house provide a faint glimmer of hope for other families of the disappeared. sandra ackno